Matthew 22:18-22

18 Knowing their evil motives, Jesus replied, “Why do you test me, you hypocrites?19 Show me the coin used to pay the tax.” And they brought him a denarion.20 “Whose image and inscription is this?” he asked.21 “Caesar’s,” they replied. Then he said, “Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”22 When they heard this they were astonished, and they departed.

Sometimes the unbelievable complexity of life brings amazement. Shorthand and lingo get batted around, effectively excluding anyone who hasn’t been part of the conversation from
the beginning. Sometimes people use big words for the sake of using big words.
On the other hand, at times “conversation” is so starkly simple...

What's amazing, O God, is that you show us who you are. We experience you in our very being! Amen.

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In Exodus 33 Moses successfully argues that without Yahweh’s merciful presence Israel is no nation and that Yahweh’s and Moses’ efforts have come to naught. Psalm 99 mentions Yahweh’s royal rule, which brings to mind the human agents of that rule: Moses, Aaron, and Samuel. Each of these leaders facilitated Yahweh’s conversation with the people and Yahweh’s rule over them. The opening lines from First Thessalonians raise a question about the church’s understanding of evangelism. Paul and his coworkers experience a change in themselves because of the Thessalonians, who become a living proclamation of the gospel by virtue of their ready acceptance of it. In the Gospel reading, Jesus answers a question with a question and confuses his “audience” both then and today.

Questions and Suggestions for Reflection

• Read Exodus 33:12-23. When have you most longed for a glimpse of God’s glory? How did God give you the assurance you needed?
• Read Psalm 99. Where in your life is forgiveness needed to restore a loving relationship? How have you experienced “a forgiving God”?
• Read 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10. As your Christian faith has developed, how have you seen it move “from head to heart to hands”?
• Read Matthew 22:15-22. How do you give to God “the things that are God’s”? What are some of those things Jesus wants you to give?